2025 Hockey WineUp: New Format and Exciting Pairings

And the 2024 Hockey WineUp Champion is…

The 2024 season was a memorable one for Hockey WineUp. This marked the first year we partnered with wineries to create unique team pairings, adding an exciting new layer to the competition. A special thank you goes out to Marynissen Estates, Divergence Wines, Fogolar Wines, Liebling Wines, and our champion, Adamo Estate Winery, for being part of this innovative journey.

A heartfelt shoutout to David Marshall from Adamo Estate Winery and Jeff Moote, founder of Divergence Wines, for their shared passion and enthusiasm. It’s been inspiring to see your excitement about merging the worlds of wine and hockey.

Reflecting on the 2024 Season

This past season had its share of challenges. Balancing a part-time wine blog with the demands of a long hockey season wasn’t always easy, and the pace slowed heading into the playoffs. But with lessons learned and fresh inspiration, we’re introducing some exciting changes as we head into the new season.

The New Approach: 2025 Format

As Hockey WineUp celebrates its 5th season, we’re shaking things up. The 2025 Hockey WineUp Champion will now be crowned based on a new format that simplifies and streamlines the competition.

The title will be awarded to the wine pairing of the NHL team with the highest point percentage following the Monday night games leading into American Thanksgiving. Mark your calendars—by the end of the scheduled NHL games on Monday, November 25th, 2024, we’ll know the winner.

In the event of a tie in points percentage, here’s how we’ll break it down:

1. Head-to-Head Record: If the teams have played, we’ll look at the results.
2. Goals Scored: If there’s still a tie, the team with the most goals in the first 10 games takes the win.
3. Goals Against: If needed, the team with the least goals against in the first 10 games wins.
4. Coin Toss: And if all else fails, we’ll let fate decide with a good old-fashioned coin toss!

Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, and Something Blue

Now that we’ve covered what’s new, here’s what else to expect for the 2025 season:

• Something Old: To honour the legacy of our first four seasons, we’re bringing back some of the original wine selections from our inaugural year. Wines from all over the world will make an appearance, each with a unique story connecting them to their respective team. Here’s the twist – the wine may not remain with the original team!
• Something New: Of course, the revamped format to determine the 2025 champion is front and center this year!
• Something Borrowed: Our little homage to a hockey legend—You can keep calling me Grapes
• Something Blue: Introducing the 2025 Hockey WineUp jersey! This stylish tarp is perfect for the wine-loving hockey fan, designed for game days with a touch of elegance.

Ready for the 2025 pairings?

Stay tuned – they’re being released shortly.

© 2025 Nicholas Shalagan and Hockey WineUp. All rights reserved. Hockey WineUp is an independent publication and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the NHL or its teams.